


The Longest Day

by sg_wonderland



Series: Days series [6]
Category: Stargate SG-1
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-09-29
Updated: 2016-09-29
Packaged: 2018-08-18 12:43:30
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,201
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8162423
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sg_wonderland/pseuds/sg_wonderland
Summary: Daniel, from a different viewpoint.





	

“Lie back down, Colonel, or I swear I’ll sedate you.” It takes very little effort to send him crashing back onto the bed.

“Have to go,” he mumbles weakly.

“You’re not going anywhere.”

“Gotta pick up Daniel.”

Oh, that explains the agitation. “Don’t worry, Jack, I’ll take care of Daniel. You just focus on getting better.” I fiddle with his IV, relieved that his breathing sounds better. “I’ll take him home with me. Cassie will be thrilled.” She has taken to the brand new Daniel much as she did the older version.

“Bring him here.” His order doesn’t have much authority due to the wheeze.

“No, Colonel, I don’t think so. I don’t want to scare him, seeing you here. I know it’s just pneumonia, but trust me, the first couple of days, you feel like hell. I’ll let Daniel call you from home, how’s that?”

“I suppose that will have to do.” He sounds like a petulant five-year-old. I just hope that isn’t prophetic.

*

 

Amy Thornton has Daniel ready when I get down to the day-care. He follows me silently out to my car. No booster seat, I realize I should have gotten Jack’s truck keys. I strap him in the back and hope we don’t have an accident on the way home. He seemed to take my news about Jack’s illness just a little too well.

“Daniel, you sure you’re okay?” I turn around to check on him before I start out.

“Yes, thank you.”

I roll my eyes as I face forward, how many times have I heard something akin to that come out of the adult version of that mouth? He is quiet all the way home, uses his house key and obediently packs a bag without complaining. Wonder if I can get some of this to rub off on Cassie? I squash the stupid thought immediately. It isn’t good for any child to be this subdued, this withdrawn. Five year olds should go screaming and running through life, making their mark on everything they touch. Daniel barely makes an imprint.

The only conversation on the way to my house is my cell phone chat with Cassie, to tell her we are having company and to at least try to pick up the living room. She gives a sadistic laugh before she hangs up on me. Wondering if I need to stop at the grocery store, I go through what I might have in the refrigerator and weigh the choices. Do I take Daniel home and come back or do I stop and drag him through the store? Neither option appeals to me and I decide to just play it by ear until I get home. I can always find something to fix for me and Cassie but Daniel is a bit harder to satisfy. If he’s here for the four or five days I expect it will take Jack to recover enough to take care of his child, I will definitely have to hit the store.

Pepper is barking enthusiastically when I open the car door. “Get down.” He starts to jump then he spots Daniel crawling out of the back seat. They both freeze, eyeing each other cautiously like two gun-fighters. The first time these two met Daniel ended up with badly skinned knees and the dog was sentenced to solitary confinement in the backyard. He’s learned that he gives Daniel a wide berth, since the kid is petrified of the dog. “Down, boy, or you’ll spend some quality time here in this garage.” I finally just grab a clinging Daniel up into my arms and carry him into the house. “Cassie.” I yell. “Come and get Daniel.” He runs straight into Cassie’s arms, ready to be anywhere that the dog isn’t.

By the time I get back in the house, leaving Pepper in the garage, Daniel is on the couch with Cassie flipping through the channels. “Mom, there was some chili in the freezer, so I put it in the microwave.”

“Thanks, sweetie.” I stop to kiss her on the forehead, then give him one for good measure before carrying his stuff upstairs to the spare room/office/den. I pull out linens and make the daybed up for him, putting his rabbit on top of the covers, pulling the blinds to darken the room. What time do five-year-olds go to bed, I wonder as I head down the hall to change.

Despite what she said earlier, Cassie had straightened the living room up. It merely has that lived-in look now, instead of the junked up look. I head for the kitchen and find she not only nuked some chili, she toasted some garlic bread in the oven. I cut the bread, set the table and transfer the chili into a serving dish before calling them in to eat. Daniel claims he isn’t hungry but I dish him up a small bowl and pour him a glass of milk anyway. “Eat, Daniel. I’ll call the infirmary and if Jack’s awake, you can talk to him, okay?” Bribery is a wonderful thing, especially if it will get a child to eat dinner. “Listen, I know you’re worried about Jack, but I promise you he’s going to be fine. Can you eat a little something?”

He tries, bless his heart, he really does, but I can see the food is choking him. I take the bowl away and push the milk over. Less than half the glass disappears before he politely asks to be excused. I reluctantly let him leave the table and he dashes upstairs. I just hope he’s not in the bathroom throwing up. Deciding to give him some space, I clean the kitchen up before I go in search of him. 

I’m not surprised to find him planted in front of the computer in the den. And I’m also not surprised to see the tears on his face. “Honey, what’s wrong?” I slide behind him before he can click off the website he’s on. One of the medical websites. Oh, dear.

“You lied to me!” He accuses.

“When did I lie to you?”

“When you said he’s going to be fine. People die from pneumonia.”

I pick him up and sit with him on my lap. I’ve never been a fan of lying to children and I see no reason to start now. Besides which, he would see through the lie in an instant. “Yes, they do. But those people have existing health problems that Jack doesn’t have. Let’s go through them, shall we?” I move back to the section that upset him so greatly.

“The first risk factor is elderly. Okay, Jack’s not all that old, is he? Young children, he’s off the hook for that one, too. Immunocompromised, that means he already has something wrong with him, but that’s not Jack, is it? AIDS, he doesn’t have that. Alcoholism, nope, don’t think so. Respiratory disease or asthma, not even close. Smoking, Jack quit years ago, as far as I know and you’d tell us if he were sneaking cigarettes, wouldn’t you?” I take a moment to squeeze him. “Lung scarring, fibrosis or cancer, I’ve looked at enough of his X-rays to know if he had that. Upper respiratory infection or flu, no on both of those counts. So, you see, I didn’t lie to you, Daniel. Jack doesn’t have any of these risk factors. Why don’t we give him a call and you can talk to him yourself?” I promise myself that if he’s asleep, I’ll have the nurses wake him up so he can reassure Daniel. I suspect the only thing that’s going to help is if Daniel hears his voice.

Jack’s awake and waiting for Daniel’s call. I sit on the bed with Daniel as he talks to Jack, taking the phone when Daniel reluctantly hands it over. “Yes, Jack, he’s fine. No, he’s no trouble, although I wish he’d have eaten a little more. Pancakes, huh? I’ll try that for breakfast. Yes, I will. Good night, Jack, try to get some sleep, I promise he’s going to bed right now.” I hang up and give Daniel a small nudge. “So, bath tonight or in the morning?”

“Morning?”

“Okay, that’s doable. Now off to the bathroom to brush your teeth and get into your jammies. I’ll be right here waiting when you get done.” 

I have the bed turned down and all the lights out except for the nightlight Cassie thoughtfully dug out for him. There is something innately adorable about little kids in pajamas, especially the kind with the feet in them; Cassie was well beyond this stage when I got her. I tuck him into bed with his rabbit, put his glasses in the case on the desk, give him a kiss, then start to get up when he whispers, “Dr. Fraiser?”

Sighing as I realize he’s never going to be comfortable enough to call me anything else, I sit back down. “Yes, honey?”

He fumbles, plays with his rabbit, and won’t meet my eyes, clearly finding it hard to express his thoughts. Finally, he blurts out, “Could you stay? For a few minutes?”

“Of course I can.” I silently berate myself for not realizing how frightened he is. A long hidden memory of my first overnight visit to my grandmother’s farm surprises me. “How about I sing to you? Would that help? You just close your eyes.” It takes longer than it should, but sleep finally defeats him and he rolls onto his stomach, snuggling his rabbit close. I sing softly for a few more minutes, just listening to him breathe before I give him a last kiss and tiptoe off, leaving the door open so I can hear him if he wakes up.

Cassie has most of the lights out and the TV down low when I go back downstairs. “How is he?”

“He’s a very scared little boy.” I stuff a pillow behind my back and swing my legs up into the couch. “Finally went to sleep, though.”

“And Jack?” Her nonchalant flip through her magazine doesn’t fool me in the least; I realize Daniel isn’t the only one off-balance by Jack’s illness.

“He’ll be fine. The pneumonia isn’t serious and he’ll probably be home tomorrow or the day after. But he isn’t going to feel up to taking care of Daniel for a few days, so I think we’ll just keep him here.”

Cassie snorts. “Yeah, good luck with that. Can you see either one of them agreeing?” Actually I can’t. “Maybe you can hire him a nurse.” She looks at me and we both burst out laughing, belatedly covering our mouths when we think of the child sleeping upstairs. “Or not.”

“We’ll work something out.”

“Well, I’m off to bed, since tomorrow is a school day. Are you on tomorrow?” She pauses to mess up my hair as she passes by.

“No, I’m off.”

“Jerri’s gonna pick me up, so I’ll get myself off to school, you and Daniel can sleep in.”

“Thanks, Cassie, I owe you one.” I smile up at her, wondering when she got so mature. And so tall.

“Yeah, well, don’t think I’m not keeping score, because I am. Night, Mom.” I crane my head to watch her go upstairs; I’m not surprised that she peeks in on Daniel before heading to her own room. I sit there for a while, flipping through her abandoned magazine, relishing the quiet before I decide to call it a night, letting Pepper out one last time while I turn out the lights and head up myself. Daniel is sleeping soundly, Cassie is puttering around her room. 

All is right with my world. At least for tonight.

*

“Ugh.” I roll over to an insistent whisper. “I thought I was sleeping in this morning?”

“Daniel’s awake. I didn’t think I should just go off to school and leave him up alone. Sorry.”

I force myself to sit up. “No, you’re right. Go on, you’re gonna be late.” Dragging on a robe, I go in search of my little guest. He is playing on the computer in the den. “Hey, I thought you might sleep a bit later.”

“Couldn’t sleep. Sorry.” His hair is sticking up all over the place. Well, mine probably is too, but I’d be willing to bet it isn’t nearly as cute on me.

“Will you be okay while I take a shower?” A look of exasperation flashes behind the glasses. “I’ll take that as a yes, then. I’ll leave the door unlocked if you need me, okay?”

He actually laughs.

I take a very quick shower and dress only to find Daniel right where I left him. “Okay, pancakes for breakfast?” I do remember Jack’s advice last night.

He obediently trails me downstairs and crawls up on a kitchen stool, watching avidly as I fix pancake batter. “Jack uses a box,” the squirt informs me matter-of-factly.

“Do you see Jack O’Neill in this kitchen anywhere?”

His hand covers his mouth, but the giggle still escapes. “No, ma’am,” his voice trying to be serious. “What’s that?” He queries as I take a bottle from the refrigerator.

“That, young man, is ginger ale. The secret ingredient if you want light, fluffy pancakes.” His eyes follow my every move as I pour the batter on the griddle, set butter and syrup on the counter. “So, I’m thinking if you eat a good breakfast, I might be persuaded to take you to visit Jack.”

His expression tells me he isn’t fooled at all; he knows I will take him even if he doesn’t eat a bite. But he gives the pancakes a try, his eyes popping in surprise. “These are good!”

“As good as Jack’s?” I push a glass of milk toward him, ignoring his sniff at my coffee.

“Can you keep a secret?” The scamp gives me the full benefit of his baby blues.

I lean over to whisper. “I won’t tell.”

He leans toward me. “These are better. May I tell him about the ginger ale?”

“You may.”

*

There is something sinfully delightful about walking into the infirmary in jeans and sneakers, knowing I’m off the hook unless there is a dire medical emergency. Although I have seen a look of desperation in more than a few faces as we near the infirmary; Jack is not known to be the model patient. Add to that the fact that I know he is worried about Daniel, and he becomes an even worse patient.

Fortunately, I have just the cure he needs.

“Jack!” Daniel tries to pull out of my grasp.

“Hey, kid!” Jack fumbles with the bed control while I boost Daniel up. I’m probably not the only one who is mentally oohing at the picture of Daniel curled up, his head tucked securely under Jack’s chin while Jack reassures him that they’re both fine. “Are you being good for the doc?”

Daniel bolts up, his head nearly connecting with Jack’s jaw. “Dr. Fraiser can make pancakes without a box!”

I preen a little at Jack’s expression. “Yes, Colonel, I am taking extremely good care of Daniel.”

“I suppose he’s going to be spoiled rotten when I get him back?”

“I think you can count on that.” Because I can, I pick up his chart and peruse it, aware of two pairs of hopeful eyes studying my expression closely. I shut it with a snap. “Maybe tomorrow, Colonel.” I answer the unasked question. “Daniel and I are going shopping this morning. I need the keys to your truck.” I open the bedside drawer and plunder until I find them.

“M..my truck?” He trembles with fear.

“Relax, I just need the booster seat. Although I could drive your truck if I so choose.”

“B…b…but, it’s a stick.”

I snort at him. “I’m from the south, sugar, we invented race cars. Come on, Daniel, let’s let Jack get some more rest.”

“So where are you two off to?” Jack squeezes Daniel until he squeaks.

“We’re going to the mall, then to the barber shop.”

“Beauty salon.” I interrupt him.

“Yeah, that. And the grocery store and..where else?”

“Who knows where we’ll end up? We’re going to hunt up Sam, see if she’s free. We might take Daniel shopping. Oh,” I reach back in the drawer, extract his wallet from which I remove a credit card. “Just in case I see something Daniel needs.”

“Daniel doesn’t need anything.” Jack points out, wincing as I bury his MasterCard deep within my pocket. “Just remember I’m an underpaid Air Force colonel, not Bill Gates.”

I heave Daniel to his feet and he gives the infirmary bed an experimental bounce. “Give Jack a kiss, Daniel, and let’s go find Sam.” Daniel obediently leans over and kisses Jack loudly before climbing down, his little Keds digging into all sorts of sensitive areas, judging by Jack’s pained expression. “We’ll call you before he goes to bed. Lt. Dutton,” I motion for a hovering nurse, “keep him as quiet as possible.” I pause wickedly. “Sedate him if necessary. He loves shots.”

*

I have a sneaky ulterior motive to dragging Daniel all over town. I’m hoping it will exhaust him to the point he’ll sleep a little better. So we give the mall a thorough going over, paying close attention to shoe and book stores. He sits obviously enraptured while I have my hair done and seriously enchants Suzette by joining her running commentary on passing shoppers as she gives him a little trim of his own. I’ll have to pay close attention to what he looks at in the grocery store, to see what he might like. 

“So what shall we fix for Sam for dinner?” Sam couldn’t leave but she’s meeting us at my house later.

“Mmm, she likes lasagna.” Daniel offers.

“I do, too. Lasagna it is.” He watches with large fascinated eyes as I pick up fresh ingredients. “Don’t tell me, Jack uses a box.”

He nods. “Out of the freezer.”

*

It’s only a short trip from the big grocery store to my house but I take the long way around after I glance through the rear-view and see Daniel drooping sideways in his booster. I had forgone my usual loud rock music for an easy listening station, intentionally keeping the volume low enough so as to be barely audible. By the time I pull into the drive, he’s completely gone. Trying to be very quiet, I take him out of his seat and deposit him on the couch, covering him up before unloading the groceries and the spoils of my mall trip.

He gets a good three hours of sleep while I potter around getting the lasagna ready to pop in the oven, doing a couple of loads of laundry, although running the vacuum is definitely out of the question.

Sam comes in, Cassie comes home and still he sleeps. “Janet.” Sam cautions me.

“I know, I know, if he sleeps much more, he’ll be up all night. Wake him up while I get supper on the table.”

He doesn’t wake up well, nor does he wake easily. But finally he’s sitting at the table, playing with his meal, occasionally eating some, perking up when Sam oh-so-casually mentions that I owe her a Monopoly re-match. He loves games and is a serious threat to world domination. So he helps me load the dishwasher then helps Sam set the game board up in the living room, intently eyeing each piece. “Let me guess, Jack just has the computer version?”

“I didn’t know that you could play it like this.” He is clearly fascinated with the tiny game pieces in his tiny hands. And I know just what I’m gonna get him for his upcoming birthday. Speaking of which. “So, Daniel, what are you doing for the summer?”

“Umm, Grandma and Grandpa want me to come to Chicago and spend part of the summer with them.”

Sam and I exchange glances. “And how does Jack feel about that?”

“We’re still trying to persuade him.” He confesses with a confident air. Yes, if anyone can persuade him, it’s Daniel. 

*

We’re way into the game, Cassie actually deigning to play with us, but I suspect that’s just because of Daniel, when I hear a far-off tinkling noise coming from upstairs. Cassie, being a teen-ager, correctly identifies it as a cell phone. “Is that your phone, Daniel?”

He runs upstairs to retrieve the phone, trying to redial a number. “It was..Hi, Grandma. I’m fine. Oh, Jack’s in the infirmary. He has pneumonia.”

“Daniel, let me speak to her.” I take the phone. “Mrs. O’Neill? This is Dr. Janet Fraiser. Jack’s fine, just down with a simple case of pneumonia.”

“I’ve been worried sick; I’ve been calling for two days.”

”I’m so sorry; I should have had Daniel phone you right away. I’ve been keeping him here at my house. Oh, he’s no trouble, in fact, he’s a delight to have around.”

“That’s good to know. I’ll be down just as soon as I can get someone to look after Michael.”

I interrupt her, remembering Jack worrying over his father’s recent bout with the flu. “There’s no need for that, between us, we can take care of them. Jack will probably be released tomorrow and I’ve arranged for him to have in-home care. I’ll be keeping Daniel here until Jack’s stronger. I’ll let you talk back to Daniel.” I hand him the phone and he perches on the stairs to talk.

“In-home care?” Sam smirks at me. “I’m sure Teal’c would love being described like that.”

I shush her. “Well, it sounds better than ‘I’m having an alien nurse sent over.’” 

“It does, doesn’t it?”

*

Daniel stays on the stairs for quite a while, talking on his cell phone. Or at least, I thought he was talking until I look over and he’s just sitting there, playing with the phone.  
Sitting beside him, I squeeze his knee. “Anything wrong?”

He shakes his head, then softly admits. “I want to go home.”

“Darling, Jack’s still in the infirmary. There wouldn’t be anyone to take care of you.”

“Tomorrow. When Jack gets home tomorrow. I want to go home.” He takes a deep breath. “I heard you tell Grandma you were going to keep me here. I want to go home. Please, I won’t be any trouble, I promise. And I can help take care of Jack.”

“Then home you’ll go. Come to think of it, Teal’c might need your help to keep Jack in line.” And I shouldn’t have been making arbitrary decisions about him without consulting him. “Tomorrow, then. We’ll go to the store, get you guys some groceries and you can be home waiting for Jack when he gets there. Okay?”

He unexpectedly flings his arms around my neck. “Thank you, Dr. Frasier.”

“Don’t mention it, Dr. Jackson.” As I expected, he giggles at the title. Although some folks found it difficult to see Daniel when looking at this child, I don’t. To me, so much of the adult Daniel is still here. His fascination for life’s oddities, his insatiable curiosity, his almost innate ability to gauge people.

*

So here we sit, waiting for Jack and Teal’c. Groceries in the fridge, laundry in the washer, Daniel’s unpacked and picked up some odds and ends he left lying about. He helped me strip and re-make Jack’s bed. One of those unexplained medical miracles is that a set of clean, fresh-smelling sheets will aid the patient’s recovery. Just like no matter how sick you are, if you can just get clean, take a shower, it seems to make a world of difference.

And we hear the key in the lock. Daniel flies to the door. “Jack! You’re home.”

“I am. And how’s my boy?” Jack bends over to hug Daniel, still too weak to pick him up. Daniel wraps himself around Jack’s long legs and just holds on for dear life. Finally, he lets Jack move enough so that they make the steps down into the living room where Jack flops in the recliner and drags Daniel up into his lap. “Missed you, kid.”

“Missed you, too.” They make quite a picture, cuddled up together in that chair.

I’ll admit I was quite worried about how Jack would handle having another child to raise. But he took it in stride, didn’t let his past baggage trip up this relationship. Yes, he made some mistakes and some of them were big ones. But Daniel’s capacity to overlook past transgressions has always been bigger than he ever was.

I head for the door. “Teal’c, take care of them.”

“That was my plan, Dr. Fraiser. Will you not stay and have dinner with us?”

“No, I’ll let this be boys night at home.”

This house has always been like a home to Daniel, now more than ever. He’ll tolerate my house or Sam’s house, but this place, with Jack, is home for him.

*

Cassie meets me at the door. “So, Jack and Daniel are home?”

“Yes, sweetie,” I kiss her as I close the door behind me. “Everyone’s home where they belong.”


End file.
